Matchmakers
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Zelena sees Emma and Regina together, and thinks that they're together together (dating) and gets jealous that Regina gets to 'date' Emma instead of her, so tries to break them up. But in trying to break them up, her plan backfires and they end up dating for real - Kathryn Rayner Of Voyager


_Zelena sees Emma and Regina together, and thinks that they're together together (dating) and gets jealous that Regina gets to 'date' Emma instead of her, so tries to break them up. But in trying to break them up, her plan backfires and they end up dating for real - Kathryn Rayner Of Voyager_

_Thank you for the prompt. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes and I hope you like the story :)_

_It's quite AU in that Regina keeps her heart and Zelena's defeat happens in a different way. Eventual SQ. _

Zelena scowls as she observes her sister from afar. No matter what she does she can't seem to break her sister. All of her life she has never been chosen. She has never felt wanted and she wants Regina to understand how that feels. Once that's done she can finally have her revenge.

The problem is that no matter what she does they don't abandon Regina. Every time she sees Regina with Snow and Charming or her son or Emma her jealousy grows and grows. Why is she never the one to be chosen and accepted? Why does her sister get everything?

She watches as Emma and Regina walk down the main street. The pair wear matching smiles as they walk down the street. Emma has an ice-cream in one hand and is clearly trying to tease Regina with it. Regina in response simply laughs and bats Emma's hand away. Conversation flows easily between the pair and they even bump shoulders a few times as they stroll on oblivious to the envious woman watching them.

Zelena's frown only deepens.

No-one has ever made her feel the way Regina looks when she's with Emma. When those two are together her sister looks so carefree and happy. Her face shines with love and it infuriates Zelena. Why should Regina have that? She herself has never had that and it simply is not fair. Envy boils in her and she needs to find a way to break her sister.

_Emma. _

Emma is clearly the answer. If she can get rid of Emma and break the pair of them up then maybe she can finally get Regina alone and seek the vengeance she craves. She knows no other path to take. For her whole life she has craved acceptance but it has never been offered and she no longer believes it ever will be so instead she seeks to wreak pain and misery.

What better way than to break up the pair?

She is tired of being the one never chosen. She is so damn tired of not being happy and it angers her to see that in spite of everything Regina finds happiness. Regina gets everything whilst she has nothing but not anymore.

* * *

Regina and Emma stand together as Zelena glares at the pair of them from across the farmhouse.

"How sweet, the pair of you here together to try and fight me," Zelena drawls.

Regina and Emma share a confused look at her wording before Emma flexes her fingers, ready to use magic if necessary. "You don't stand a chance against both of us Zelena."

"Don't be too cocky," Regina warns in a whisper. She puts a comforting hand on Emma's arm to remind her not to let anger take her over. It's the kind of touch she doesn't even think about anymore. Not after Neverland and magic lessons and everything else. Through it all they grew closer without even realising it yet nether one of them have opened their eyes to what everyone else sees.

Emma nods smiling subconsciously at Regina's hand on her arm. She lets herself think back to their lessons wherein Regina helped her believe in her instincts. Emma knows her mother was rooting for Neal and her father is rooting for Hook but truthfully neither of them make her believe in herself as much as Regina does. She smiles at her friend and co-mother before turning back to Zelena who has noticed the subtle look between them with a menacing scowl. "Leave our family alone," Emma warns.

Zelena pretends to think, "I don't think I shall. Regina you have everything. You have your fancy house, your son, your family who loves you and your Emma. You have everything and I am going to make sure you lose them all."

Regina frowns in confusion looking at Emma before turning back to her sister, "I have worked hard for everything I have Zelena and I will never let you take any of that from me."

"We shall see," Zelena says with a sneer before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Emma turns to Regina, "Don't let her hurt you."

"She won't Emma. I know how to defend myself."

"You know how to defend other people but you put yourself at risk to do it," Emma points out, "Don't let her destroy everything you have worked so hard to build."

"I won't," Regina promises, "Trust me. It will be a cold day in hell before Zelena destroys our family."

"Did you think it was weird that she called me your Emma?"

Regina nods, not knowing why her sister chose such an odd phrasing before shrugging it off, "She probably hasn't figured out where your place is in my life."

In all honesty neither has Regina. Is Emma her friend, her co-mother or more? One day she supposes she'll figure it out.

* * *

Zelena watches as Regina and Emma walk out of the Diner. It's the perfect opportunity to strike. She materialises in front of them before using her magic to pin Regina up against the wall before throwing Emma into the library. The saviour crashes into the wall hard before landing on the floor.

Zelena marches over towering above her. She leans in close to the blonde before speaking in a low whisper, "This is what being with my sister gets you. Pain. Misery, perhaps even death. I'm going to take everything from her and I think you're the best place to start."

Emma looks up at her with glare, "I'm not with Regina so you can cut this jealousy crap. Her life was full of heartache and despair and honestly lady I have no idea why you want it so badly but we will stop you."

"Will you dear?" Zelena asks, "Are you so sure?"

"We're stronger together," Emma replies confidently as she sees Regina break free of the magic holding her up.

"But sooner or later you won't be together."

Regina sneaks up behind her before throwing her sister across the street. She helps Emma up, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Emma reassures her and the two share another look full of love and concern.

"How sweet," Zelena says in a sugary tone. It's a tone that reminds Regina of the false sweetness of Cora when she was about to destroy something. "Now it's time for it to end. If you insist on being together you can die together."

She raises her hands holding them both in the air and choking them. Zelena laughs as she does knowing that if she gets rid of both of them then she can go back in time and seek her revenge. Plus she fully expects one of them to let the other go and save themselves thus destroying them anyway.

"You can do it," Emma whispers to Regina who looks at her uncertainly. "Feel it in your heart," Emma adds, "You restored Henry's memories with true love's kiss, that's light magic Regina. You told me that magic was about emotion and instinct and my instincts are telling me you can do this. Think of the people you're trying to protect. Think of how far you've come. You can do this Regina."

Regina smiles at her before turning to her sister. For the first time she doesn't channel her magic from a place of darkness. She feels it building differently. Dark magic has a certain thrill and power to it. This however warms her heart and gives her a feeling of happiness and light.

"What are you doing?" Zelena asks warily as she watches her sister.

"Changing," Regina replies before blasting her sister with light magic.

Zelena flies across the road in shock. Regina walks over quickly snatching her pendant and fear strikes Zelena. Magic is her only chance. "What are you going to do to me? Kill me?"

Regina shakes her head, "No."

"Even though I threatened your family? Your son? Your love? Your life?"

"I've done a lot of terrible things Zelena. I was the evil queen, now I'm Regina. I won't pretend it was an easy path because it wasn't. No matter what happens I will always carry my past with me but I learn from it. I look at my life then and remember how miserable I was compared to what I have now, what I have to lose. Evil isn't born, it's made Zelena and so is good. You've threatened my life and my family but I have done the same and worse to others and they have given me a second chance so I'm offering you the same. You can try to start over, redeem yourself and build a life for yourself free of jealousy and revenge. Or you can go to prison and be stuck in the same misery you've suffered your whole life. What will it be?"

Zelena looks up at her sister. No-one has ever offered her that kind of chance. No-one ever thought she was worth it. Without her magic she feels lost. She doesn't know what kind of life lies beyond it. However she thinks that a chance to live might just be better than a life full of resentment. She makes her choice and sees Regina smile.

Emma stands beside her with a proud smile as she looks adoringly at Regina. She can see what her sister has in Emma – love and support and she can't help but want the same.

* * *

It's been a few weeks since she accepted Regina's offer of a second chance. It hasn't been easy and in some instances it's been downright awkward. Zelena now lives in the spare bedroom of Regina's mansion and is gradually building some sort of relationship with her sister.

Life without magic has been strange. She had become so accustomed to magic that even the simple things like cleaning the house was an adjustment. Without the power coursing through her veins and the possibility of vengeance lurking nearby Zelena was able to watch Regina with a new clarity.

She sees how hard her sister work as Mayor. She sees the joy Regina feels when with her son and when accepted by the Charmings. She wonders how long it took for Regina to reach that point and have such a trusting and loving family. She wonders when it is her turn.

Jealousy is still a big problem though.

Emma is a constant in Regina's life. Whenever Zelena sees Regina or Henry, Emma is nearby. She wonders how her sister can deny that she and Emma are together because to her they could not be more obviously in love with one another.

She wants that and envy flares in her gut that her sister has that like she has everything else. One afternoon she finds Emma in the kitchen. She slides up behind her before trailing her fingers over Emma's arm.

Emma flinches before backing away, "What are you doing?"

"What?" Zelena asks innocently, "I'm just admiring your physique."

"What?" Emma asks incredulously.

"What? I'm not allowed to be attracted to a beautiful woman?"

"Uh sure?" Emma asks confused by this turn of events, "But seriously what are you doing?"

"Maybe we could have dinner sometime Sheriff and become acquainted with one another?" Zelena purrs suggestively. She wants the kind of happiness Regina has. She's seen that Emma gives her sister that and she wants it for herself.

"Zelena no. You're Regina's sister."

"She doesn't have to know."

Emma shakes her head before walking away, "No Zelena. I don't know why you're doing this but I know you're not into me so what do you want?"

Zelena sighs defeatedly, "I want to be happy. You make her so happy and I thought…"

"Maybe I could do the same for you." Zelena nods as Emma finishes her thought. "Zelena happiness isn't always instant. Trying to steal me away from Regina, which is what you think you're doing, isn't going to make you happy. You have to work for happiness and I know it's hard but it's worth it."

"I'm tired of being alone."

"You're not," Emma replies, "You have Regina and she's one incredible person to have in your corner."

"You really love her don't you?" Zelena asks.

Emma smiles. She hasn't admitted it to Regina but she does. When Zelena was threatening them and trying to tear them apart it made her realise what her heart knew already. Now she just needs to take the next step and go for the happy ending she's been wanting for for so long. When Zelena tried to flirt with her all Emma could think was that she wished it was Regina instead.

"I do," she admits, "and one day you'll find someone Zelena but you can't keep trying to take everything Regina has. It won't make you happy. All it will do is lose you the person who believes in you."

Zelena nods, "I just wish I could have what she has."

Emma smiles, "Maybe one day you will."

With those words she exits the kitchen so she can find Regina. She wants to be happy too. Unlike Zelena she has someone she loves. She has someone who believes in her and makes her feel chosen and loved and special and though she never expected it would be Regina, she is undeniably in love with her and it's about damn time she did something about it.

* * *

Emma finds Regina at the docks on what she likes to call their bench. She smiles as she sits down beside her and the shoulders brush against one another. The closeness isn't strange or awkward and for Emma it just feels right. Regina smiles at her and it takes Emma's breath away for a second. Regina has a smile for her and it makes Emma feel like she's the only person in Regina's world in that instant.

"So you won't believe what happened today."

"What?"

"Zelena tried to hit on me."

Regina blinks stunned. She can feel sharp pang in her heart and tries to swallow the lump forming in her throat, "What?"

"She tried to hit on me. I said no of course."

At that Regina sighs in relief before smiling, "You did?"

"I did," Emma says. "Do you ever wonder why she keeps doing this? Trying to split us up when we're not even together?"

"It had crossed my mind yes," Regina replies, "I'm glad you said no."

"Oh yeah. Why?"

Regina smiles before fidgeting nervously with her hands, "Because I think Regina noticed something I hadn't before, but as she was threatening us and trying to break us up I realised what she was seeing."

"And what was she seeing?" Emma asks moving closer to Regina. She can feel Regina's breath tickling her cheeks and there's only the slightest gap between their lips now. All Emma wants to do is close that gap.

"She was seeing something my heart knew but that my brain was catching up to. She saw that I love you," Regina admits. She doesn't dare look into Emma's eyes through fear of rejection. That rejection never comes. Instead soft lips brush against her own in a tender first kiss. She presses her lips against Emma's as the other woman's hand cups her cheek and she weaves her own fingers through Emma's blonde curls.

She never expected to fall in love with Emma but sometimes happiness comes in the most unexpected of places and Regina's overjoyed that it does.

* * *

"Hey Aunt Z," Henry says as he slides onto a stool next Zelena. Over the past few months she has been accepted bit by bit into the family and each day has made her glad she took Regina's offered chance. She's never been a part of such a big family nor is she used to people having her back and wanting her there but it's something she can definitely get used to.

"Hello Henry," she replies smiling at her nephew, "And where are your mothers?" Since her last attempt at sabotaging them the pair have been inseparable. They're also surprisingly sweet and gooey with each other. Zelena is also however rather glad she had Regina soundproof her room because they also apparently cannot keep their hands off one another.

On one hand Zelena is happy for her sister. Over the past few months they've begun to bond as sisters and whereas before she was jealous of Regina's happiness, now she's just glad her sister found love.

"They're celebrating their engagement," Henry says with a grimace which tells her just exactly how they're celebrating.

"Ew," Zelena replies, "Okay well I best stay out of the house for a few hours. Do you want to hang out with your favourite aunt?"

"I would but you can't."

"Why not?"

"Well I wanted to thank you for bringing my Moms together. I know you never meant to but you did and now they're really happy and we're a family and I want you to be happy like them so I set you up on a date."

"What?" Zelena asks wide-eyed with horror. "Oh Henry no."

"Come on Aunt Z. You deserve to be happy too plus I've seen the way you look at the person I've set you up with so I know you like them. Give it a chance."

"Urgh," Zelena replies, "Fine."

He grins before gesturing for her to follow him. She walks behind him to the back room of Granny's where Ruby sits at a table with a handmade dinner. She smiles nervously at the woman she's had a crush on for months now before turning to Henry, "How did you know?"

Henry smiles at her, "Clearly this family is just good at matchmaking."

_Thanks for reading :) _


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